This invention relates generally to improvements in wall tacks and push pins of the general type used for affixing documents such as notes, memoranda, photographs and other pictures, and calendars and the like to upholstered or similar soft-surfaced walls used in office cubicle walls and partitions. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved wall tack designed for quick and easy attachment to an upholstered wall surface or the like, wherein the wall tack is constructed from a minimum number of components adapted for rapid and economical manufacture.
Office cubicle walls and/or partitions commonly comprise an upholstered or fabric or other soft-surfaced or padded material mounted on a suitable support frame or substrate. This wall structure accommodates versatile office floor plans while additionally providing sound attenuation between adjoining work spaces. Push pins or tacks are frequently inserted or pressed into the wall structure by office personnel to hang work related documents such as office papers, calendars and schedules, and address lists, as well as personal items such as photographs and the like.
In many instances, the upholstered wall surface lacks sufficient structural integrity to support items having any significant weight. As a result, items supported from the wall surface have an annoying tendency to fall unexpectedly to the floor. Moreover, conventional push pins have a tendency to work loose even when used to support relatively lightweight items, particularly in response to periodic bumping displacement of the push pins or the supported item, resulting again in occasional unexpected falling of the push pin and supported item to the floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,126 discloses an improved wall tack for supporting a document or the like from an upholstered wall surface, wherein the wall tack comprises a plastic tack body with an internal metal reinforcement comolded within a forwardly projecting hanger hook, and at least two rearwardly projecting metal prongs formed at the opposite ends of a wire segment which is comolded within the tack body. While this improved wall tack is designed for quick and easy mounting onto an upholstered wall surface or the like, and is capable of supporting a significantly larger weight in a secure and stable manner in comparison with a conventional push pin, the metal-plastic comolded construction of the wall tack results in disadvantageous manufacturing complexities and costs.
There exists, therefore, a need for further improvements in and to wall tacks of the general type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,126, wherein the wall tack is designed for quick and easy attachment to an upholstered wall surface or the like, and further wherein the wall tack construction is compatible with relatively simple and low cost manufacturing techniques.
The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.
In accordance with the invention, an improved wall tack is provided for quick and easy mounting onto an upholstered wall surface or the like for supporting documents such as memoranda, pictures, calendars, etc. The wall tack comprises a plastic molded tack body having a hanger hook protruding from a front side thereof, and a pointed lower prong or push pin projecting rearwardly from a lower margin at a rear side thereof. The rear side of the tack body further includes an elongated recessed groove lined by a plurality of undercut lock tabs for secure snap-fit reception of an elongated wire member having opposite ends defining a pair of rearwardly projecting pointed prongs at an upper margin of the tack body rear side. The pair of pointed prongs cooperate with the lower push pin for engaging and securely supporting the tack body on the upholstered wall surface.
In a preferred form, the pair of pointed upper prongs each extend rearwardly and then turn angularly upwardly relative to the tack body, when said wire member is snap-fit assembled with the tack body. The lower push pin preferably is formed integrally with the plastic molded tack body and projects rearwardly therefrom, although in an alternative form the lower push pin may comprise a separately mounted metal pin or the like. The tack body has a generally triangular shape defining two upper corners with the upper prongs respectively extending rearwardly and angularly upwardly therefrom, and a lower corner with the lower push pin extending rearwardly therefrom. The assembled wall tack is mounted onto the upholstered wall surface by angularly oriented the tack for press-fit or push-in engagement of the upper prongs with the wall surface, followed by downward rotation of the tack body for engaging the lower push pin with the wall surface in a similar press-fit or push-in manner.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.